"That was Mrs Gabriel's fault," said Raston. "She told him that you intended to denounce him to the police. When you discovered him at the castle on that night he was afraid lest you might do so, therefore he said you were his son, so as to put such a betrayal out of your power."
"As if I would ever have betrayed him!" said Leo. "There was good in Pratt."
"There is no good in him," cried Mrs Jeal, fiercely. "How dare you say so? He is a bad and wicked man. I hate him with all my soul! But never will I set eyes on him again. He might kill me as he has often threatened to do. But I have told all; I have proved your identity, Lord Morven, and you have the cup, my Lord Kilspindie. The—the—letter—" She hesitated. Those present looked at one another. "Should this dangerous woman go free to be a pest to society?" said the vicar, sternly.
"You promised," said Mrs Jeal, terrified and white to the lips.
Leo looked at her for a moment, then took the letter from the hands of Raston, and gave it to her. "We must keep our word," he said.
"And you must leave this place at once," said Mr Tempest, austerely.
But Mrs Jeal was paying no attention to them. She had torn open the letter, and was reading the few lines it contained. "I thought so," she muttered, with a black look. "I wish I could kill him." She crushed up the paper and put it into her pocket again. Then she walked to the door. "Good-day, my Lord Morven, and good-bye, Lord Kilspindie. You are poor creatures, both of you. Your reverence will now be glad to sell your daughter for a title! As to you, Mr Raston, the girl you love would have been sold to my husband by her mother. I wish you joy, all you men fools." And with a mocking curtsey Mrs Jeal walked out of the room.
"Let her go. We know the truth," said Lord Kilspindie. "Leo!"
But Leo, with a nod, was making for the door. "I must tell Sybil," he said, and vanished.
Half-an-hour later the vicar and his father went in search of him. They found him sitting hand in hand with Sybil in the drawing-room. "It's really wonderful, wonderful!" she was saying.